KUALA LUMPUR: Asean-level meetings on the international job scam menace will be held under the grouping's politics and security pillars when Malaysia assumes the chairmanship next year, the Dewan Rakyat was told.
Deputy Foreign Minister Mohamad Alamin said such meetings had also been held during Indonesia and Laos' respective tenures.
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"Hopefully, a solution will be achieved (through these meetings)," he told Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman (PN-Sik) during Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Oct 29).
He also said 707 Malaysians have been rescued from overseas job scam syndicates but only five operators were charged with human trafficking.
The deputy minister said the five were charged under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Antipsom) Act 2007.
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The authorities are still tracking 199 Malaysians who are believed to have fallen victim to such scams, he added.
“The figure (stands at) 906 victims, (based on) reports from their family members, friends, the police and the individuals themselves," he told Ngeh Koo Ham (PH-Beruas).
Mohamad said when a job scam report was received from overseas, the Malaysian representative office in that country would help by tracing and repatriating the victims, with the help of local law enforcement.
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“I would like to advise the public to be wary of overseas job advertisements offering unrealistic high salaries.
“I also caution them against taking up (dubious) jobs overseas to avoid falling victim.
"Verify job offers with the Human Resources Ministry and our representatives abroad,” he added.
